This invention relates to methods, pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising an aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI), a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said ARI or said prodrug and a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said selective COX-2 inhibitor or said prodrug. This invention further relates to methods of using such pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of diabetic complications such as diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, myocardial infarction, cataracts and diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Aldose reductase inhibitors function by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme aldose reductase, which is primarily responsible for regulating the reduction of aldoses, such as glucose and galactose, to the corresponding polyols, such as sorbitol and galactitol, in humans and other animals. In this way, unwanted accumulations of galactitol in the lens of galactosemic subjects and of sorbitol in the lens, peripheral nervous cord and kidneys of various diabetic subjects are prevented or reduced. Accordingly, aldose reductase inhibitors are of therapeutic value for controlling certain diabetic complications, e.g., diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.
Two forms of cylcooxygenase (COX) are known to exist: COX-1 and COX-2, the former being a constitutive form and the latter being an inducible form. COX-1 exists in the stomach, intestines, kidneys and platelets while COX-2 is expressed during inflammation. Both COX enzyme isoforms metabolize arachidonic by a similar mechanism, but each have different substrate specificities. Selective COX-2 inhibitors are advantageous in the treatment of pain and inflammation while avoiding such side effects as gastric and renal toxicity.
This invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising an aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI), a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said ARI or said prodrug; (a) a selective COX-2 inhibitor of formula I, 
wherein
R1 is sulfamyl;
R2 is haloalkyl;
R3 is selected from hydrido and alkyl; and
R4 is selected from aryl, cycloalkyl and cycloalkenyl; wherein R4 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals selected from halo, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, amido, N-monoalkylamido, N-monoarylamido, N,N-dialkylamido, N-alkyl-N-arylamido, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkoxy, sulfamyl, N-alkylsulfamyl, amino, N-alkylamino, N,N-dialkylamino, heterocyclic, nitro and acylamino;
or a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or of said prodrug;
or (b) a COX-2 inhibitor of formula II, 
wherein
R5 is selected from alkyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, aralkoxy, cycloalkylalkoxy, alkylthio, aralkylthio, cycloalkylalkylthio, alkoxyalkyl, aralkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, aralkylthioalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylthioalkyl, hydroxyl, amino, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aralkyl, halo, alkylamino, aralkylamino, N-alkyl-N-aralkylamino, N-alkyl-N-cycloalkylalkylamino, arylcarbonyloxyalkyl, arylcarbonylthio, alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl, alkylaminocarbonyloxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylthioalkyl and alkylaminocarbonylthioalkyl;
R6 is selected from cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and aryl; wherein R6 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals independently selected from alkyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkoxy, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, aminoalkyl, nitro, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, halo, alkoxy and alkylthio; and
R7 is selected from lower alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or of said prodrug;
and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, vehicle or diluent.
This invention is also directed to methods of treating a diabetic complication in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition as set forth hereinabove. In particular, such diabetic complications as, for example, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy can be treated by the methods of this invention.
This invention is also directed to kits comprising:
a) a first unit dosage form comprising an aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI), a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said ARI or said prodrug and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, vehicle or diluent;
b) A second unit dosage form comprising a selective COX-2 inhibitor of formula I, 
wherein
R1 is sulfamyl;
R2 is haloalkyl;
R3 is selected from hydrido and alkyl; and
R4 is selected from aryl, cycloalkyl and cycloalkenyl; wherein R4 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals selected from halo, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, amido, N-monoalkylamido, N-monoarylamido, N,N-dialkylamido, N-alkyl-N-arylamido, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkoxy, sulfamyl, N-alkylsulfamyl, amino, N-alkylamino, N,N-dialkylamino, heterocyclic, nitro and acylamino;
a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said prodrug; or a COX-2 inhibitor of formula II, 
wherein
R5 is selected from alkyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, aralkoxy, cycloalkylalkoxy, alkylthio, aralkylthio, cycloalkylalkylthio, alkoxyalkyl, aralkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, aralkylthioalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylthioalkyl, hydroxyl, amino, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aralkyl, halo, alkylamino, aralkylamino, N-alkyl-N-aralkylamino, N-alkyl-N-cycloalkylalkylamino, arylcarbonyloxyalkyl, arylcarbonylthio, alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl, alkylaminocarbonyloxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylthioalkyl and alkylaminocarbonylthioalkyl;
R6 is selected from cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and aryl; wherein R6 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals independently selected from alkyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkoxy, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, aminoalkyl, nitro, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, halo, alkoxy and alkylthio; and
R7 is selected from lower alkyl, hydroxyl and amino; a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said prodrug; and
c) a container.
This invention is also directed to methods of treating a diabetic complication in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal an ARI, a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said ARI or said prodrug; and (a) a selective COX-2 inhibitor of formula I 
wherein
R1 is sulfamyl;
R2 is haloalkyl;
R3 is selected from hydrido and alkyl; and
R4 is selected from aryl, cycloalkyl and cycloalkenyl; wherein R4 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals selected from halo, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, amido, N-monoalkylamido, N-monoarylamido, N,N-dialkylamido, N-alkyl-N-arylamido, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkoxy, sulfamyl, N-alkylsulfamyl, amino, N-alkylamino, N,N-dialkylamino, heterocyclic, nitro and acylamino;
a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said prodrug; or (b) a COX-2 inhibitor of formula II, 
wherein
R5 is selected from alkyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, aralkoxy, cycloalkylalkoxy, alkylthio, aralkylthio, cycloalkylalkylthio, alkoxyalkyl, aralkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, aralkylthioalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylthioalkyl, hydroxyl, amino, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aralkyl, halo, alkylamino, aralkylamino, N-alkyl-N-aralkylamino, N-alkyl-N-cycloalkylalkylamino, arylcarbonyloxyalkyl, arylcarbonylthio, alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl, alkylaminocarbonyloxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylthioalkyl and alkylaminocarbonylthioalkyl;
R6 is selected from cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and aryl; wherein R6 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals independently selected from alkyl, cyano, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkoxy, amino, alkylamino, arylamino, aminoalkyl, nitro, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, halo, alkoxy and alkylthio; and
R7 is selected from lower alkyl, hydroxyl and amino;
a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said prodrug.
It is preferred that the ARI and the selective COX-2 inhibitor are administered together.
It is also preferred that the ARI and the COX-2 inhibitor are administered separately in any order.
In the compositions, methods and kits of this invention, it is preferred that said ARI is fidarestat, epalrestat, minalrestat, SPR-210, zenarastat or zopolrestat, a prodrug of thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said ARI or of said prodrug. It is especially preferred that said ARI is zopolrestat, a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of zopolrestat or of said prodrug and said COX-2 inhibitor is celecoxib or valdecoxib, a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said selective COX-2 inhibitor or of said prodrug.
Where used herein and in the appendant claims, the phrase xe2x80x9clower alkylxe2x80x9d refers to alkyl groups containing one to four carbon atoms straight chain or branched.